by T. R. Harris
As the song continued to play, Trimen turned to Riyad with a frown. “I do not understand?”
Riyad laughed. “About forty years ago back on Earth, that was the universal sentiment of millions of parents.”
His comment didn’t remove the frown from the alien’s tan forehead.
“Actually, Reggie, I was more into Sir Mix-A-Lot’s classic one-hit wonder,” Adam corrected.
“Oh. My. God!” she exclaimed. “You like big butts?”
“I cannot lie.”
“I should have known.”
Adam looked over to where Arieel and Lila were sitting, curious as to how the two of them were reacting to the pulsating music filling the pilothouse of the Pegasus II. Although they, too, wore frowns on their faces, he laughed out loud when he noticed both of them tapping their smooth, delicate hands on the console, in time with the infectious beat.
All-in-all, Adam was feeling pretty content right about then, more than he’d felt in nearly a month, before this whole adventure had begun. The Juireans were in full scale retreat from the area, the cold white dwarf still roiled with vibrations caused by its glancing encounter with the black hole, and the singularity itself was now racing away from the star, leaving behind it a trail of huge star diamonds worth untold riches.
At that moment, Adam Cain thought he could see a dim light at the end of the tunnel.
“Everyone form up on me,” he commanded over the soundtrack. “Let’s go do some diamond hunting,”
The eleven remaining ships formed a wide phalanx—with the Pegasus II at the apex—and sped off past the star and after the fleeing black hole.
All the while, eighteen thousand light-years from Earth, a primal form of hypnotic music radiated into space, all the way from here to Sylox, confusing to some who may have been listening, yet a nostalgic reminder of home to others.
“It’s Hammer time…”
********
The black hole was streaking away from the white dwarf at a respectable one-half light speed, and had already reacquired a thin disk of gas, giving definition to the hole itself. A new river of raging star material was connected to it as well, though more chaotic and disjointed than before.
With the Humans’ torturous obsession with rap music now over, Riyad’s image came over the comm-link aboard the Pegasus II. “I owe you an apology, Mister Panur,” he said. “Looks like you did it.”
“Yes, the objects did collide, and at just the right angle. Now we should find a trail of core remnants following behind the black hole. However, please allow me a first look at them since my needs are specific. I would not want one of your pirates to abscond with my perfect specimen.”
For his part, Adam was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a river of glittering diamonds lighting up space behind the singularity. In fact, all he could see was a thick, hot cloud of gas.
“So where are all the diamonds?”
“They’re here,” said Panur. “I’ve been detecting the occasional dense object within the gas cloud, yet have failed to find one of the proper size and composition to attempt a recovery.”
“I mean, I thought there’d be a lot more.”
“There is just as much as I said there would be. You must remember we are talking about interstellar distances here. The fragments are spread over a vast swath of space.”
It was another four hours before Panur instructed Adam to change course to a specific point in space. During that time, Adam had to fight off the pirates’ demand to recover what they were detecting. At first, eight hundred billion carats of diamonds had sounded like a lot, until Lila informed everyone that the total carat weight of the white dwarf was approximately ten billion trillion, trillion carats! A meager eight hundred billion was only a sliver of the total, and as Panur said, the debris field was spread across an ever-expanding region of space.
Adam couldn’t see the remnant Panur had selected; it was just a point in space with a higher-than-normal density reading. In addition, the crystal was essentially as clear as glass, allowing the light of the galaxy to pass through it, so even as they got closer, he still couldn’t pick it up visually.
He cut the internal gravity aboard the ship and opened the rear bay doors. Next he executed a delicate process of slowing down within the path of the tumbling stone, allowing it to move into the bay unassisted. Then he closed the doors and slowly restored the gravity. The crystal banged against the metal deck a few times as its rotational motion was dissipated, and then it came to a rest in the center of the bay.
Adam couldn’t wait to see a thousand pound diamond, so he placed the ship on autopilot and joined the others as they all raced back to the landing bay for a look.
The moment he opened the pressure door he felt the heat still radiating from the fragment. Adam and Panur, along with Arieel and Lila, stood a good twenty feet from the glowing crystal—as close as they could get—gawking at the huge chunk of glassy material. Adam didn’t know what the others were thinking, but he was marveling at the thought that only a few short hours ago this object had been part of a star.
“I would suggest we leave the bay and open it back up to the cold of space,” Panur said. “The crystal should cool naturally. I don’t want to risk it cracking.”
“That is larger than one thousand pounds,” Lila announced.
Adam and Arieel looked at the large, oblong hunk of opaque glass and couldn’t tell whether she was right or not. After all, how big is a thousand pound diamond?
“You are correct,” Panur confirmed. “It is over two thousand five hundred pounds.”
Adam’s jaw fell open. He had done some research through the Library on the largest diamonds ever found. On Earth, the record was slightly over one-and-a-half pounds. Just a pound and a half. On a planet called Oonius Dome, a diamond had been discovered weighing eighty-four pounds, while the largest space diamond ever recovered was around five hundred.
Adam looked over the ton of diamond, and all in one piece. Imagine the ring stone that could be cut from that? he thought. And then for some odd reason, the name Kim Kardashian came to mind, dredged up from a distant memory. He shrugged it off, attributing the disjointed association to his recent recollection of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s I Like Big Butts.
But now Panur was talking: “I need the crystal to be of a particular shape and purity, so it will have to be cut down. This piece should work, once I remove the outer layer. The interior appears to be of perfect uniformity.”
“You know how to cut a diamond?” Adam blurted, feeling a little stupid after asking.
“Of course I do. It is basic mathematics.”
“May I observe the cutting?” Lila asked.
Arieel turned to her daughter. “I am sure he will need to concentrate—”
“Of course you may,” Panur interrupted. “I sense that you have an understanding of the theory behind the operation.”
“As you said, it is basic mathematics—geometry, to be precise—along with an understanding of crystalline symmetry.”
“Adam, please procced with the cooling,” said Panur. “I am anxious to get to work on the crystal, and on my detector. Please recall Mister Tarazi. I have need of his ship.”
Chapter 19
The Crescent Star redocked with the Pegasus II and the huge crystal was transferred to the cargo bay aboard the smaller ship. In the meantime, Adam had thanked Angar for all his help and then released the pirates to their salvage operations. He warned them to be judicous in their recovery of the diamonds, in order to maintain a decent price for the precious gem.
Kaylor and Jym, along with their own hoard of forandite crystals, remained with the rest of gang, at least temporarily. They were anxious to see what all their efforts would produce once Panur completed his portal detector.
For his part, Adam would be content with the castoff from Panur’s diamond. Fifteen hundred pounds of diamond crystal would be worth a staggering fortune back on Earth—if he was ever allowed to return.
Pa
nur was hard at work assembling his portal detector. If it worked—and Adam could prove that it did—that should be the vindication for his actions. Otherwise…the sale of the diamond through some intermediary, and then an anonymous retirement on some distant Earth-like planet would have to do. An image of the stunning Arieel Bol suddenly invaded his thoughts. Would that even be possible? Could he and the incredible alien make a life with each other if neither of them could return to their respective planets? The fantasy was just about to take hold when the name Trimen suddenly came to mind. The alien was Arieel’s official mate—husband, in most jurisdictions. Adam had no idea how his presence as an exile would complicate things. He had a pretty good idea who Arieel would choose, but he wasn’t sure she would have the option.
And then there was Lila.
Arieel had once commented on how her own daughter frightened her. Now Adam could understand why. That fear had manifested itself even more after the brain-interface device had been removed from both their bodies.
According to Arieel, Lila was still able to communicate with her telepathically.
This ability was only one-sided, however, as only Lila could initiate the link. It gave Adam the willies, wondering if his own thoughts could be read by the young alien.
As Panur and Lila worked on the diamond cutting—an incredible display of precise skill that seemed to be proceeding at a frenetic pace—Adam decided to test his suspicions.
He created a thought in his mind. Lila, I wish to speak with you. He tried to send it with the utmost confidence, to make it appear as though he already knew the truth.
There was a slight hesitation before he felt a warming in his head, and then a soft voice spoke within his mind.
I am not attempting to hide my abilities, Mister Cain.
Adam noticed that Lila didn’t skip a beat in her assistance of Panur, her hands continuing to manipulate sophisticated cutting tools with uncanny—and unexplained—ability, while engaging him in telepathic conversation.
She continued: This ability is both unexpected and troublesome, not only for my mother and you, but for myself as well.
How do you explain it?
It is obvious I have certain abilities that are not common in my species. The only explanation for this is that I am a mutant of some form, much like Mister Panur. Does this frighten you?
You must be able to tell that it does, although frighten might be the wrong word. Worried might be better.
You wonder what could have caused such a mutation, especially in light of proliferation of such creatures within your narrow sphere of influence?
Can you blame me? Out of the seven people in this room—including Riyad, Reggie, and your father—two are mutants. That’s a pretty high percentage for any demographic. And besides that, you certainly don’t talk like a six-year-old.
Adam sensed the alien laugh. We both know physical age does not matter here, Mister Cain.
So you must have some thoughts on this, about what happened to you?
I do, yet I do not know if you are ready to hear them.
Adam was caught off guard by the comment. What do you mean? Is it that bad that…well, I don’t have a word it.
It would be shocking to you.
And then the alien stopped. Twenty seconds went by as Adam waited for her to continue. When it became obvious she wasn’t going to do it on her own, he insisted.
C’mon, Lila. You can’t leave me hanging like this.
I have said too much already. This is a sign of my lack of age and maturity. Ask Trimen.
Trimen? He knows why you’re the way you are?
He suspects.
And his suspicions are correct?
Ask Trimen. Now, Mister Cain, I will be breaking the contact, but before I do I wish you to know that you need not fear me. In regards to my telepathic abilities, I cannot read minds without the other party knowing I am present. Your thoughts are private, as long as wish them to remain so.
Thanks for that…I was wondering.
I know you were.
And with that he thought he detected a slight smile on the face of the stunning young alien, even as her eyes remained fixed on the huge diamond now taking shape in the center of the cargo bay.
********
Adam looked over at Trimen. The alien was leaning against a workbench, his huge, muscled arms crossed, watching the cutting with a detached, almost blank expression. He appeared to be deep in thought.
Most Formilian males looked like him: stunningly handsome, with chiseled features, perpetually tanned skin, and a sexual stamina the Human envied. Adam’s brief tryst with Arieel years ago had embarrassingly pointed out his own inadequacies when compared to what the over-sexed alien was used to. She was polite and sensitive to his feelings, yet Adam knew the truth. He was competing with the likes of Trimen, and although he could unquestionably kick the alien’s ass in a fight, he was no match for him in bed.
But now Adam was sensing something different from Arieel.
As it is with all relationships, sex was only part of it. She seemed to be looking for something more, a deeper level of love and commitment, at least more than Trimen was able to give her, or she was willing to accept.
And now Lila had steered him to Trimen to learn a shocking truth which her father suspected.
With Panur and Lila concentrating on the cutting of the stone, and Arieel napping on a cot nearby, Adam decided there was no better time than the present. He stepped over to the Formilian.
“Can I speak with you…in private?”
Trimen scanned Adam up and down with outright contempt. The Human recoiled slightly from the look, wondering if Trimen could read minds as well. Still, the alien nodded and led the way out of the cargo bay.
********
When they were gone, Arieel sat up on the cot just as Lila looked over at her. Their eyes met, a shared concern clouding their beautiful features. Then Lila turned back to the stone, while Arieel looked to the doorway where Adam and Trimen had just exited. This moment had been inevitable, yet she had always dreaded it.
That Trimen was involved made her realize a sickening truth: he had always known.
********
The Formilian led Adam to the common room of the Pegasus II, where he suddenly stopped and turned, causing Adam to come within a nose-length of running into him.
“I will not fight you,” the alien blurted. “I know I would not win.”
“I don’t want to fight you,” Adam said, backing away a couple of steps.
“You may not want to, yet you would not resist if called upon.”
“What’s brought all this on, Trimen? We used to be friends.”
“We were never friends. Even as I trained you on the use of the Gift—your implant—I always despised you. You coerced the Order into building a sacred device for you, and when I expressed admiration for how quickly you learned, you mistook that for friendship. Now I know you have continued feelings for Arieel—and she for you. I accept that Formilians have a more open philosophy when it comes to sex, yet in regards to inner commitment, we are just as devout as Humans to our bondings. Yet, to my utter confusion, Arieel has always preferred you. We all face an uncertain future, and I fear I shall be cast away while others find solace in new—or renewed—unions.”
Adam’s jaw had fallen open during Trimen’s tirade. The dude certainly has a pretty good grasp of things. It was obvious he wasn’t going to go down without a fight. But that wasn’t the reason for the meeting. It was Lila, and her strange abilities. Coupled with those of Panur, there was a threat here, even if Lila had tried to assure him there wasn’t. The mission wasn’t over—not yet—and until it was, Adam had to be on guard for the unexpected.
“Look, Trimen, circumstances will work themselves out after this whole Sol-Kor thing is resolved, if it ever is. But until then we need to stay focused. I appreciate you coming along and helping Arieel, but I called you in here to talk about Lila.”
Trimen’s already hard f
eatures suddenly turned to stone, his dark eyes burning into Adam.
“What about her?”
“C’mon, dude, you know she’s different…and she can talk with people telepathically, even without the implant.”
This news rattled Trimen slightly, evidenced by a solitary blink of his eyes. “I was not aware of that, although it would not be unexpected.”
“Then you admit she’s different!”
Trimen suddenly turned away and walked to the other side of the room, where he stopped and spun back to face Adam. “Of course she is different. She has been since birth, if only recently these differences have become physical. You must remember, I am the one responsible for the education and training of the future Speaker, so I have known from the beginning.”
“She told me you know why she is the way she is, and that you would tell me.” Adam stretched the truth a little the last part of statement. She had said to ask Trimen, not that he would tell.
“She did? Why would she not say herself? Would that not make more sense?”
“It would…if I knew what the hell the both of you were talking about.”
Trimen hesitated, but then he sat down on the couch and leaned back. “You ask why she is the way she is? Is it not obvious? She is a mutant, just like your friend Panur.”
“He’s not really my friend.”
“That is unimportant. What is important is that I believe I know now why he is the way he is, and that the same must have happened to Lila.”
“Stop messing with me Trimen and spit it out.”
Trimen frowned. “Spit it—oh, I understand.” With a nod, he continued: “I queried the doctors when Lila was born. They said it was impossible, yet the tests confirmed it. She is the product of an interspecies birth, just as I suspect happened to Panur five thousand years before.”
“Interspecies? Like between a Formilian and some other race?” Adam’s stomach suddenly tied itself in knots. “What other race?” He was barely able to form the words.